Sealing closure means for converters



Aug. Z2, 1950 R. H. HILL SEALING CLOSURE MEANS FOR CONVERTERS Filed Jul'y 27, 1946' INVENTOR. ROBERT HHILL BYZ, 2 a 4 2mm.

FIG.2

ATTORNEYS Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment and the principle thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principle may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, with a part broken away, of a container and closure incorporating my invention; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional detail view showing the upper part of the container with closure and sealing means applied thereto. 1

The device illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a substantially cylindrical container of suitable material such as steel of high tensile strength having a wall thickness suificient to withstand the pressures involved in the handling of gas, such as carbon dioxide, at temperatures which may be encountered in the customary use of such containers. As shown, the container generally indicated by H has a cylinder wall portion l2 and an integral bottom I3. Toward the top, as seen in Fig. 1, the cylindrical wall converges as indicated at I4 to terminate in a large opening or mouth indicated generally at 5. The mouth I 5 is of a diameter sufficient to permit the convenient insertion into the container of blocks of solid carbon dioxide.

The opening 5 has internal thread elements I! which are preferably of a coarse and rapid acting type. The thread elements may be either a single or a multiple thread, for example, an acme thread or any coarse free running type of thread, such being desirable because it is advantageous that the closure be quickly removable.

The closure for the opening l5 comprises a convex disc 2| of suitable material such as steel, and of an appropriate strength, provided on its lower outer periphery with thread elements 22 which interfit with the threads ll in the mouth 1 of the receptacle. The closure disc 2| is provided with a centrally located boss portion 23 and with a peripheral thickened rim portion 24. A stud 25 is fixed, for example, screw threaded, into the opening 26 formed in the central boss 23 and extends upwardly to guide an overlying disc or cover member 32 and to receive a wing nut or hand wheel 28 which is detachably threaded to the upper end of the stud.

A pair of vertically projecting guide pins or studs 3| are secured to the closure disc 2| at diametrically opposed points, these being press fit or otherwise secured in the thickened rim portion 24. The pins 3| project above the upper surface of the closure disc and serve to guide the character involved in handling carbon dioxide- The upper end surfaceof the conta n r W 1 surrounding the filling opening is machined, as indicated at 4|, to provide a reasonably smooth and true seating surface for a machined flange surface 42 on the under face of a rim element 43 which extends above and outwardly of the thickened rim 24 of the closure disc 2|. The surfaces 4| and 42 are suificiently accurate that a fairly tight seal is obtained when the closure 2| is tightened moderately into the opening through the cooperation of the threads I! and. 22. The outer periphery of the upper flange or rim 43 of closure disc 2| is machined to form another reasonably true surface 44 against which the inner face of the annular gasket 36 may be seated. The upper edge of the gasket 36 fits against another machined surface 45 formed as a shoulder on the underside of the downturned rim 33 of the auxiliary sealing plate 32.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the gasket 36 is thus surrounded on all four sides of a section thereof by the machined surfaces 35, 4|, 44 and 45 when the parts are assembled as shown in this figure. The surface 35 of the auxiliary cap or plate 32 is machined to fit rather accurately on a cylindrical surface 41 formed at the upper end of the outer wall of the pressure vessel. The central stud 25 and the Wing nut or hand wheel 28 are provided with relatively fine screw threads indicated at 48 so that high pressure may be applied to the gasket 36 through the auxiliary sealing disc 32 by manual rotation of the wheel or nut 28. As previously indicated, the main threads l1 and 22, by which the closure disc is secured to the container, are coarse and free running and may be discontinuous or segmental so that the disc 2| can be applied by matching discontinuous parts of the threads on the two elements, inserting the disc 2| practically to its final position, and then rotating it only a fractional turn as will be understood and as is widely practiced in the prior art in connection with the sealing ,of the ends of various apparatus, especially ordnance material, against high gas pressures. The threads 22 and I! thus serve to resist the thrust in the end closure against the force of the compressed gas within the vessel whereas the threads 48 are used merely to apply sealing pressure to the gasket. Continuous threads may be preferred, as being less likely to be released accidentally, and hence safer, though not as quickly releasable.

In use, the nut or hand wheel 28 is first released to take the pressure off the auxiliary sealing disc 32 and thereby to free the threads 22 and I! for easy manual rotation. The disc 2| is then unscrewed, either by turning it only a fraction of a turn and lifting it out when discontinuous threads are used, or by fully unscrewing it where continuous threads are used. The container is then ready for filling. v

The opening I5 is large enough, as previously indicated, that pieces or blocks of compressed solid carbon dioxide may be inserted manually or otherwise and after the container is filled, the closure disc 2| is reinserted and tightened. The machined surfaces 4| and 42 although quite accurate are not normally accurate enough to give a gas-tight seal, hence the hand wheel or nut 28 is next tightened to force theauxiliary disc 32 down with respect to the guide studs or pins 3| and thus to compress the gasket 36 against the surface 4| at the top of the pressure vessel. As the hand wheel is tightened, the flange 33 of the upper disc is forced down until the surface 35 surrounds and telescopes, to some extent, the

r5 -smoo'th outer surface 41- of the-container. The gasket 36--is'- thus enclosed on -all-four-sides; looking-at a" crosssection or the gasket, arid there "is no substantial surfaca area or the gasketmvhioh is exposed to-anygases-which may leak between i the surfaces! I and 42.

a result :of the construction =j-ustz descr-ibed, the gasket 36 cannot-swell materially in use. EP-resum'ably this is-because no sirbstahtial surfface is free to absorb large quantities-of #gas which, when pressure' 'isi released, w ill -cause' the -.gasket to balloon or swell excessively thus making-subsequent reuse impossible.

In :case, however; that the gasket' ilt zshoiild seventually become' damagemand require replacez'ment, I'it i is easily remo zed by :unscrewing -the 'fhand' zwheeliwzand: separating theidiscmZfifrom 2 the gmaincclosure :idisc 2 2 :The: gasket ichen iis fully exposed and any parts zwhichvad here to the closure -discs-or =to the surface 4! of the pressure vessel may be readily removed and the surface cleaned for-a new'ga'sket. I Arssuitable valve-:5 l I is: threaded; as: at 5,2,into the container near the upperlzend ;hhe11eof ,:ras shown inlEigml. This.valve .-may.- 'be provided with appropriate "fittings as 53 and "54 for purposes --well understood in the art. This valve :alsosincludes the usualoperating handle or hand --'wheel 55. T-he fittingas-E'd is desirably ofsuch I nature that a conduit-orthe-like maybecon :nectedtheretoso -as to enable gas contained :within the convertento be directed to a'point of use, the valve aleenablingrthe gas supplied to such. a conduit to be shuteoff when socdesired.

When a. container of the above described-char-- 'acter is to beused asxa carbon dioxide converter, the "clo'sure arrangement described aboveis re- =moved and solid carbon dioxide is introduced through the relatively large opening 15. Thereafter, the main closure disc 2i i threaded into position to bring the surfaces ll and 42 into contact, and a gasket as 36 is disposed in engagement with the surfaces 41 and 44. The cover 32 is then arranged on the studs 3! and the hand wheel or wing nut 28 is manipulated to force the surfaces 35 and :15 On this cover plate into engagement with the gasket 36 in such a way as to apply sufii-cient pressure on the gasket as to prevent escape of gas from within the container.

Once the supply of gas from the container is exhausted and it is desired to recharge the container, the hand wheel or wing nut is manipulated so as to enable detachment of the cover 32 and thereafter the disc 21 is removed. At 1 this time the interior of the container may be conveniently cleaned by reason of the relatively large opening [5. Once it is desired to again use the container as a converter, solid carbon dioxide or the like is introduced into the container and thereafter the closure structure is replaced in the manner described hereinabove.

It will be manifest that since the gasket as 36 is enclosed by the surfaces 3! and M, 45 and 35 when the closure i arranged to seal the container, no appreciable surface area of the gasket is exposed to the gas pressure and as a result of this it has been observed that very little, if any, gas is occluded in the gasket. In any event, when it becomes necessary to replace the gasket 35 this may be conveniently done since the gasket is fully exposed once the cover 32 is removed, and when the cover 32 is removed and the gasket 36 has been removed, all surfaces with which the gasket i to cooperate are exposed B and may be cleaned sorascto insurezpropers-co- "operation zoh these surfaces and the gasket so as to -thereby insure efife'c'tive' sealing of thereon- '"verter.

-Hence,-- it will3 be seen that a :converterlembo'dying a closure- =ofrthe -above describdanature -'enables he hereinabove set forth kindred-tobjects-of this inventi'on to' be"'rea1ized. However, while? Ithave illustrated :and describedifthenpre- 10 ferre'd embodiment of-"my invention,l lit is'ilto' be 2 under'stood that this is:capable of variation: and

yanodification and litherefore do not v ish tmbe rnited td-thaiprecise details set forth, .but' desire I "ito avail myself of such .changes -andc alterations 15-as ifall within the purview or :zthe following -claims.

I c'laim: l .In a =pressure vesse1' adaptedto contain gas under high! pressure, a filling necktfori:the":ves-

-'sel? having aamaxiaal fillingmopening' thereinreand terminating inaai fiatannular :sealin'g: faoe ibordening-'-'said*- opening and disposed normal -toi the caxis of saidaneckmsaid neck havin sa cylindrica'loouter guide surface:- ad jacent'i to .aan'd :dfinangethe outerredge of -said flat: annular sealing .fsfacassaid Bne'ck :ha-ving saxial ly related ian'ternal thread elements formedfitherein, 'a closure idor :said'sopening having amexternally: -threadedrp'orition'zcomplemental altoesaid thread elements aof said neck arrd havingsamupp'er annular; sealing flange adapted' to bezdrawn idownwardlyi.:b zzoo- I operation :of sa'idzthreads into 'sealing-rela tion "av-1th respect 'jfBO rantinner :zannular :por-tioncof s sa'id ifiat a-seali-ng :facaasafid "flange eteim'zinating -lcyfiindrical outer-agnidingeedge concentric zrwithrtheeaxis .of: saidzscrew. threadsna-scentraliy napertured cap: platelzhaving 2 a odownwacdly {LEX- i'tended cannula! cflange ss'lidably aengaging zi'sa'id cylindrical outer guiding surface of said sealing flange, said downwardly extended flange having an annular rabbeted groove along its lower inner edge adapted to engage and be guided along said cylindrical outer guide surface of said neck, a compressible annular sealing ring disposed in said rabbeted groove and engaging said cylindrical outer guiding edge of said sealing flange and an outer annular area of said fiat sealing face of said neck so as to be enclosed in a compressible sealing relation by such edge, such outer annular area of said face and such rabbeted groove, a threaded clamping stud fixed to and projecting axially upwardly from said closure member and through the central aperture of said cap plate, a clamping nut on the end of said stud for holding said cap plate in position on said stud and for applying clamping pressure to said cap plate, and guide means acting between said closure member and said cap plate to hold the same against relative rotation about the axis of said stud.

2. In a pressure vessel adapted to contain gas under high pressure, a filling neck having an axial filling opening therein and terminating in a fiat annular sealin face bordering said opening and disposed normal to the axis of said neck, said neck having a cylindrical outer guide surface adjacent to and definin the outer edge of said flat annular sealing face, said neck having axially related internal thread elements formed therein, a closure for said opening having an externally threaded portion complemental to said thread elements of said neck and having an upper annular sealing flange adapted to be drawn by cooperation of said threads into sealing relation with respect to an inner annular area of said fiat sealing face, said flange tenninatin in a cylindrical outer guiding edge concentric with the axis of said screw threads, a centrally apertured cap plate having a downwardly extended annular flange slidably engaging said cylindrical guiding surface of said sealing flange, said downwardly extended flange having an annular rabbeted groove along its lower inner edge and adapted to engage and be guided along said outer cylindrical surface of said neck, a compressible annular sealing ring disposed in said rabbeted groove and engaging said outer cylindrical guiding edge of said sealing flange and also engaging an outer annular area of said flat sealing face so as to be enclosed in a compressible sealin relation by such edge, said outer annular area of said face and such rabbeted groove, and means acting between said closure member and said cap plate for applying clamping pressure to said cap plate to compress said annular sealing ring.

3. In a pressure vessel adapted to contain gas under high pressure, a filling neck having an axial filling opening therein and terminating in a flat annular sealing face borderin said opening and. disposed normal to the axis of said neck, said neck having a cylindrical outer guide surface adjacent to and defining the outer edge of said flat annular sealin face, said neck having axially related internal thread elements formed therein, a closure for said opening having an externally threaded portion complemental to said thread elements of said neck and having an upper annular sealing flange adapted to be drawn by cooperation of said threads into sealing relation with respect to an inner annular portion of said flat sealing face, said flange terminating in a cylindrical outer guiding edge concentric with the axis of said screw threads, a centrally apertured cap plate having a downwardly extended annular flange slidably engaging said cylindrical guiding surface of said sealing flange, said downwardly extended flange having an annular' rabbeted groove along its inner edge and adapted to engage and be guid- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,617,451 Kniskern Feb, 15, 1927 1,961,298 Lundy June 5, 1934 1,992,633 Price Feb. 26, 1935 2,120,057 Merrill June '7, 1938 2,166,637 McIlrath July 18, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 78,514 Germany Mar. 15, 1919 294,756 Great Britain Aug. 2, 1928 369,699 France Jan. 17, 1907 

